For years now, throughout my time coaching athletes and working with people who want to lose weight

Ive used a technique called visualisation

Its really powerful

I used it a lot when I was an amateur boxer

I visualised a fight so many times

And so often

That by the time the fight came around

I had no nerves whatsoever

And I was 100% confident

Well, let me tell you about this study into chocolate cravings..

Michael Mosely….The guy from TV (He’s a real doctor too)

He’s done a few fascinating programmes on health and fitness research

He and his team decided to run an experiment

They gathered 200 chocolate enthusiasts and divided them into 2 groups

Group 1 had to imagine or visualise eating 30 pieces of chocolate

They had to consciously imagine tasting and chewing the chocolate

Taking time to really experience the taste and texture

Group 2 had to do the same thing, but with just 3 imaginary pieces of chocolate

Afterwards the team asked both groups to fill out a questionnaire

But

Next to the questionnaires were bowls of chocolate that they were allowed to eat

The researchers found that group 1 ate 37% less chocolate than group 2

If you read my emails regularly

You’ll know that Im not a big fan of will power

If you’re trying to use will power to lose weight

Then you’re destined to lose the fight

And this research backs that up

Most of us think that if we try not to think about chocolate, we can fight the craving

But as soon as you try not to think about something, guess what?

You think about it

It seems, from this study

That if you want to prevent chocolate cravings

You should think about chocolate

In detail!

You should even imagine eating it

Heres what one of the participants said

“By the time I’d finished imagining the 30 pieces I really wasn’t that bothered about eating lots of real chocolate. I normally can’t leave an unfinished bar, but I can after this. I need to lose some weight – so I plan to try this approach with other foods, because it obviously worked for me.”

So

If you’re looking to lose weight

And you love chocolate

Firstly

Get off that diet that requires will power

And follow well designed programme that teaches you how to eat chocolate and still lose weight